It’s every parent’s nightmare: that somehow, some way, your actions wind up causing physical or psychological harm to your child. A new in-development game aims to put players in the repercussions of the death of a boy. A death that’s your fault.
In A Song for Viggo, you play as a dad who accidentally kills his son. Done up in painstakingly constructed papercraft, the game will explore the grief, depression and guilt that follows such a tragic event. It looks like the unique presentation will provide enough of a counterbalance to A Song for Viggo‘s grim themes:
Your first mission is to arrange your son’s funeral. You are going to have to do it alone, because your wife, Karen, went into a deep depression following the death of Viggo.
This is the type of challenge you will have to face in this game.
Your goal is to maintain everyday life, despite the tragic circumstances. Be there for your daughter. Put food on the table. Do the dishes. Keep your marriage together. The struggles are of a psychological, rather than mechanical, nature. There is only one puzzle. It’s called life.
Indie developer Simon Karlsson is crowdfunding the game over on Kickstarter now.
Comments
24 responses to “A Game That Takes Place After You’ve Killed Your Own Kid”
I absolutely support games like this being made.
I will never play this. I’m not even a father and it’s about the most harrowing thing I can think of.
i will never play this. i am a father and i already beat myself up enough over not being a good-enough parent in my own eyes.
Oh man, this sounds pretty heavy.
Reminds me (a little) of Heavy Rain.
Yea, just the boring bits though where you walk around and mope, while trying to talk to your other kid and get him to eat or do homework…
actually those scenes hit me the most.. mostly coz they’re relatable and i could see the real life damage traumatic experiences like that do to your relationships.
ah i was bored in those parts, maybe because im a soulless shell of a person….or maybe because it shudnt take me 15 dam minutes to walk from the front door to the kitchen…only to the rest of my time open and closing fridge doors, looking out windows, and using kitchen sinks.
I exxagerate of course but you get the point. This new indie game however….
Jason? Jaaaason? JASON? JAAASON??
X…X…X…..XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX…..
Damnn…
I’m not convinced they can make me absolutely believe in the concept. I’m pretty emotionally detached (devoid, my wife would say) but my first thought on reading this was, ” but it isn’t MY son.”
Still, I look forward to this and hopefully they can make me “feel” the emotions that they are attempting to elicit.
That’s about the same thought that crossed my mind – I am a dad, I have a son, but I have no issues with my digital alter ego losing his entire family *cough* drowning family in pool and building walls around your offspring without doors and windows *cough*
I could never harm my son in real life, but what happens on the screen – all is fair game. That’s why it is just a game.
Um, No. I’m good thanks.
This seems like it would cause depression!!! I would donate so he could buy a less offensive jumper.
Sounds a bit depressing. Now if they could make you an octopus dad I might be in.
What are you talking about? There’s no games with Octopus dads. There’s one where you play a dad who’s a little clumsy, but an octopus dad? Absurd.
Your right… Apart from “Octodad Dadliest Catch”.
What? No, that game was about a perfectly normal father going around his business. Certainly not an octopus.
It was a pretty good disguise. Took me awhile to figure it out. In the end the extra 4 limbs gave it away.
As a guy who is expecting his first born in 2 months this kind of game is haunting to think about. But i like it nonetheless.
As a father of two, depressing as anything I could imagine, but I love that games allow you the freedom to explore and delve into a wide variety of emotions and topics. I’m undecided but I like the idea and want to support more of these games that take risks.
Growing up, I knew a guy who accidentally killed one of his children. [Edit: Details removed.]
That is a hell I would wish on no one ever, and will spend no time even imagining.
There is no. Way. In. Hell. I will ever play this game.
…But I might buy it, if people say it’s handled well or is mature and sympathetic? I dunno. I just… am simply not strong enough for that.
I fully support this game Idea. Its a subject that will need the utmost level of tact and care to delve in to, but its great to see Developers not shying away from mature subjects. Hopefully its a trend towards more mature games with meaning, better storytelling and immersion.
On my way over to Kickstarter now.
http://pressthebuttons.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83452033569e201116900f9d1970c-800wi
Christ, this sounds intense.
Just backed it. Will play it.